Invasion was set in 1999 (at the time some 22 years in the future) when the UK was invaded by a soviet-style force called the Volgans. The series was centred around one man, Bill Savage, who had lost his family to the invaders and was fighting back any way he could.
It was one of the original line-up of series in 2000AD Prog 1. Of all the original series, this one lasted the longest in its first continuous run. It ran to Prog 51 before replaced by Colony Earth. It then took a break for just over a year before returning for a single story called Disaster 1990, a prequel to the earlier stories. It then disappeared until 2004, when it came back as Savage and has been running off and on ever since.
It is debatable whether Disaster 1990 & Savage should be considered as part of the Invasion! series, but Barney, the unofficial 2000AD database, does.[1][2]
Main Characters
Bill Savage
Bill Savage was the main protagonist of the story. He was a lorry driver at the time of the Volgan invasion. He returned home from a job to find his house destroyed and his family killed. He grabs his shotgun from the wreckage and strikes back at the first Volgan patrol that comes along. He is quickly spotted and recruited by the resistance. To start with, he heads up a resistance group in London's docklands, and then moves gradually north to Scotland.
Lieutenant Peter Silk
Lt. Peter Silk was the resistance operative that first spotted Savage and made contact with him. He was his second-in-command in London, and stayed with him during his journey to Scotland, then while he was trying to get Prince John to safety. He was killed by Sgt. Georgi on the way to Canada as part of Col. Volgaska's trap.
Brigadier Bentley Pearson
Brig. Pearson was the man in charge of the resistance and, supposedly, Savage's superior. Although, whether Savage ever actually took any notice of the Brigadier's orders is doubtful.
Colonel Rosa Volgaska
Col. Volgaska was a feared Volgan colonel renowned for her ruthless efficiency. She laid a trap for Savage and Silk and managed to capture them. Savage, however, called on some outside assistance and managed to escape. Volgaska was disgraced and imprisoned, but negotiated her release some time later with another plan to capture Savage. She lured Savage, Silk and the Prince on to a ship bound for Canada, then sprung a trap just as he thought he was safe. She was drowned when Nessie McNairn dragged her overboard.
Big Nessie McNairn
Nessie was a Scottish female wrestler and a friend of Savage's. She helped him and Silk escape after they had been captured by Volgaska. Later, when Savage had Prince John in tow, he came across her again. This time she was in a circus, posing as a bearded lady. She helped Savage and his men escape again, and this time went on the run with them as far as Liverpool. She saw them onto a ship bound for Canada, but was then captured by Col. Volgaska. When Volgaska tried to shoot the prince, she managed to drag her overboard, killing them both.
Prince John
Prince John was the son of King Charles III and heir to the British throne. He was on board a ship sailing close to the British shore when he was shipwrecked and became stranded in Britain. Savage kept him safe until he could secure him safe passage back to Canada where the rest of the royal family were in exile.
Sergeant Georgi
Georgi was a huge Volgan soldier who posed as an American as part of Col. Volgaska's plan to capture Savage. He delivered Savage to Volgaska as their ship approached Canada, and was waiting for him when Savage was allowed to escape. He was killed by Savage using a distress flare.
Stories
- The Resistance (Prog 1 - Prog 5)
- Wembley (Prog 6)
- Train Story (Prog 7)
- Concorde (Prog 8)
- Ships (Prog 9)
- Dartmoor (Prog 10 - Prog 11)
- Death Line (Prog 12)
- The Doomsdale Scenario (Prog 13 - Prog 15)
- Untitled (1977 Summer Special)
- Bounty Hunter (Prog 16)
- Slaves (Prog 17)
- Breakout (Prog 18)
- The Road to Hell (Prog 19)
- Hell's Angels (Prog 20)
- Sandringham (Prog 21)
- Cheddar Gorge (Prog 22)
- Tyne Tunnel (Prog 23)
- Hadrian's Wall (Prog 24)
- Bathtub (Prog 25)
- Bluebird (Prog 26)
- Dirty Jocks (Prog 27 - Prog 31)
- Tank Trap (2000AD Annual 1978)
- Volgess (Prog 32 - Prog 33)
- Collaborator (Prog 34)
- New Recruits (Prog 35)
- Jump Jet (Prog 36)
- The Prince (Prog 37 - Prog 44)
- The Return of Rosa (Prog 45)
- Deadlier Than the Male! (Prog 46)
- Escape From Liverpool (Prog 47 - Prog 51)
- Untitled (2000AD Annual 1979)
- The Oil Rig (Dan Dare Annual 1979)
- Disaster 1990 (Prog 119 - Prog 139)
- Untitled (2000AD Annual 1980)
- Invasion! 3000AD (Prog 1034 - 3000AD supplement)
- Savage Book One: Taking Liberties (Prog 1387 - Prog 1396)
- Savage Book Two: Out of Order (Prog 1450 - Prog 1459)
- Savage Book Three: Double Yellow (Prog 1526 - Prog 1535)
- Savage Book Four: The Guv'nor (Prog 1577 - Prog 1586)
- Savage Book Five: 1984 (Prog 1632 - Prog 1641)
- Savage Book Six: Crims (Prog 1685 - Prog 1699)
- Savage Book Seven: Secret City (Prog 1740 - Prog 1749)
- Savage Book Eight: Rise Like Lions (Prog 2013 - Prog 1823)
- Savage Book Nine: Grinders (Prog 2015 - Prog 1923)